The Sultanate of Oman has begun its participation in the "Made in the Gulf 2026" forum and exhibition, which kicked off today in Manama under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and runs for several days.
Oman’s participation involves 29 companies representing a wide range of industrial, production, and related service sectors. This initiative aims to showcase the competitiveness of Omani products, open new markets and opportunities for national companies, and strengthen their integration into Gulf and regional value chains.
The forum and exhibition serve as a Gulf-wide platform bringing together ministers, decision-makers, industry leaders, investors, experts, and corporate representatives. They aim to discuss the future of industry within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, explore investment opportunities and industrial partnerships, and enhance the ability of Gulf products to access regional and global markets.
The opening ceremony featured a high-level session addressing the future of industry and energy in the GCC states, the transformations impacting their competitiveness, and opportunities for integration between the two sectors. Discussions also highlighted the roles of innovation, technology, sustainability, and Gulf talent in building more competitive production capabilities. The program also included an awards ceremony honoring the winners of the Gulf Industrial Excellence Award and the official opening of the exhibition. H.E. Eng. Ghalib bin Said Al Maamari, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Commerce and Industry, emphasized that the participation of Omani companies in "Made in the Gulf 2026" reflects the diversity and advancement achieved by the national industrial sector in its production and export capabilities. It also offers an opportunity to showcase Omani products and solutions to the Gulf business community and investors.
His Excellency explained that the participation also aims to forge new commercial and industrial partnerships, explore opportunities for contracting, distribution, and export, integrate national companies into regional value chains, and leverage the Gulf market as a springboard to reach broader markets.
For his part, Dr. Abdullah bin Masoud Al Harthi, a Board Member of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that the Sultanate of Oman attaches increasing importance to the industrial sector as part of its efforts to diversify income sources, enhance the private sector's role, and encourage investment in high-value-added industrial sectors, in alignment with the goals of Oman Vision 2040.
He noted that this participation represents a significant opportunity to showcase national products and industries, highlighting their competitiveness and quality. It also opens new horizons for Omani enterprises and companies to access Gulf, regional, and international markets, and to build trade and investment partnerships with the various participating entities.
He further pointed out that the forum and exhibition serve as a platform for exchanging expertise and experiences, as well as showcasing the latest technologies and innovations in the industrial sector. This contributes to supporting the growth of national industries and strengthening supply chains and integration among productive sectors across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The participating Omani companies span diverse sectors, including petrochemicals, polymers, and plastics; iron, steel, and metals; food and pharmaceutical industries; oils and petroleum products; cables and electrical industries; aluminum; porcelain, marble, and construction materials; water treatment and desalination; batteries and technology; logistics; and other manufacturing industries.
This participation highlights the diversity of Oman’s industrial base—ranging from heavy industry and petrochemicals to food and pharmaceutical manufacturing, as well as technical and logistics solutions. It reflects the ability of national companies to develop value-added products and compete in both Gulf and international markets. The list of participants includes companies operating in sectors such as petrochemicals, plastics, iron, logistics, and others.
Three Omani industrial enterprises received the Gulf Industrial Excellence Award across the large, medium, and small enterprise categories—an achievement reflecting the advancement of performance, quality, and competitiveness within Oman’s industrial sector.
The National Pharmaceutical Industries Company won in the large enterprise category (pharmaceuticals sector), while Al-Sharaa Flour Mills and Dates Company won in the medium enterprise category (food industry). Additionally, Lotus Oil Factory received the award in the small enterprise category (petroleum oil production). This recognition reflects the ability of Omani industrial enterprises—across all scales—to enhance performance and production levels, as well as to boost quality and value-added output. These efforts support the competitiveness of the national industry and strengthen its presence within the Gulf manufacturing ecosystem.
During the "Made in the Gulf" forum and exhibition, two Omani inventors were honored at a ceremony celebrating innovators from the region: Hilal bin Abdullah Al-Habsi, for his invention of an "integrated downhole jet pump assembly featuring a cup packer and rotary drill head for sand cleanout in wellbores," and Awad bin Salem Al-Mazidi, for his invention of a "wirelessly controlled coffee preparation device and method."
Honoring these inventors aligns with the Gulf region's commitment to fostering innovation, transforming ideas and technical solutions into added value for economic and industrial sectors, and bolstering the role of Gulf talent and expertise within the industrial innovation and development ecosystem.
The "Made in the Gulf 2026" forum addressed several strategic themes, including investment, exports, and growth; industrial integration and regional value chains; the sustainability and resilience of the industrial ecosystem; Gulf infrastructure and supply chains; financing mechanisms and industrial partnerships; talent development; smart factories and open industrial innovation; and the private sector's role in building an integrated Gulf industrial ecosystem. The forum and exhibition featured the "Made in the Gulf" knowledge platform program. Spanning three days, the event addressed topics such as Gulf standardization and conformity, industrial transformation and artificial intelligence, the protection of Gulf products, smart factories, sustainability, and quality infrastructure, in addition to enhancing market access for Gulf products.
